Nonlinearity Attack Against the Kichhoff–Law–Johnson-Noise (KLJN) Secure Key Exchange Protocol

This paper introduces a new attack against the Kirchhoff–Law–Johnson-Noise (KLJN) secure key exchange scheme. The attack is based on the nonlinearity of the noise generators. We explore the effect of total distortion ([Formula: see text]) at the second order ([Formula: see text]), third order ([Formula: see text]) and a combination of the second and third orders ([Formula: see text]) on the security of the KLJN scheme. It is demonstrated that as little as 1% results in a notable power flow along the information channel, which leads to a significant information leak. We also show that decreasing the effective temperature (that is, the wire voltage) and, in this way reducing nonlinearity, results in the KLJN scheme approaching perfect security.

Mobile Cyber Information Leakage

With the wide use of smartphones, mobile cyber has become an indispensable part of our lives. While smartphones are used almost every aspect of our lives, awareness of personal information protection is underdeveloped, and information leak has become one particular problem on mobile cyber. At the same time, personal information resources have become more valuable than ever. This chapter investigates users' attitudes toward cyber information leakage and methods to protect personal information. The software SPSS 19 was used to analysis the relationship among cyber environment, applicability and practicability of protection methods, economic cost, and overall evaluation (satisfaction). A suggestion that may promote personal information awareness and promote cyber security from technical, legal, and social aspects is also provided.

Attitudes of online users towards personal information leakage: based on Sina Weibo database

With the rapid development of internet, people pay more attention to personal information security. Drawing upon three components of attitude, this study was designed to realize online users’ attitudes toward personal information leakage. Web crawl program was used to get the blog data from Sina Weibo. Results show that the main media for personal information leak include mobile phones, telephone, media and networks. People who have verification published blog more than no verification people. People pay more attention to account number. Pioneer and No verification people have more negative affection. Personal account, VIP and Organization people have more positive affection. If the blog has higher interaction, positive affect will also rise. Media’s blogs exert an imperceptible influence on people’s behavior.

Secure Kernel Execution with Intel SGX

Intel SGX is not accessible from the most privileged execution level, known as ring zero, where the operating system kernel is placed. However, it is possible to split the execution responsibility between kernel and userspace by creating a dependency among these two levels that allow internal kernel data to be stored or processed within SGX private enclaves. In this paper we present SKEEN, an enhanced way to isolate internal operating system components and structures with Intel SGX technology, preventing information leak to different components of the same operating system. A proof-of-concept is provided to exemplify its usage.

Comments on the “Generalized” KJLN Key Exchanger with Arbitrary Resistors: Power, Impedance, Security

In (Nature) Science Report 5 (2015) 13653, Vadai, Mingesz and Gingl (VMG) introduce a new Kirchhoff-law-Johnson-noise (KLJN) secure key exchanger that operates with 4 arbitrary resistors (instead of 2 arbitrary resistance values forming 2 identical resistor pairs in the original system). They state that in this new, VMG-KLJN, non-equilibrium system with nonzero power flow, the security during the exchange of the two (HL and LH) bit values is as strong as in the original KLJN scheme. Moreover, they claim that, at practical conditions, their VMG-KLJN protocol “supports more robust protection against attacks”. First, we investigate the power flow and thermal equilibrium issues of the VMG-KLJN system with 4 arbitrary resistors. Then we introduce a new KLJN protocol that allows the arbitrary choice of 3 resistors from the 4, while it still operates with zero power flow during the exchange of single bits by utilizing a specific value of the 4th resistor and a binary temperature set for the exchanged (HL and LH) bit values. Then we show that, in general, the KLJN schemes with more than 2 arbitrary resistors (including our new protocol mentioned above) are prone to 4 new passive attacks utilizing the parasitic capacitance and inductance in the cable, while the original KLJN scheme is naturally immune against these new attacks. The core of the security vulnerability exploited by these attacks is the different line resistances in the HL and LH cases. Therefore, on the contrary of the statement and claim cited above, the practical VMG-KLJN system is less secure than the original KLJN scheme. We introduce another 2, modified, non-equilibrium KLJN systems to eliminate the vulnerability against some - but not all - of these attacks. However the price for that is the loss of arbitrariness of the selection of the 4th resistor and the information leak still remains greater than zero.

Script, Print and the Public–Private Divide

David Ochterlony is a familiar figure to historians of the East India Company, but the focus has been on the man at his peak rather than the shadow hanging over his death, the result of a posthumous information leak. This forgotten incident is re-examined for what it reveals about how information moved across media in colonial India. This chapter pieces together this brief yet explosive affair, using the documentary record produced by the Company’s investigation, in combination with newspapers, pamphlets and letters. The first section lays out the relevant details of Ochterlony’s time in Bharatpur and the controversy he provoked, then it reconstructs the governor-general-in-council’s investigation of the leaked documents. The second section reflects on what the investigation’s findings imply about the circulation of information in colonial India and the dynamics of concealment and revelation at work there. The incident is used as a jumping-off point for reassessing the relationship between manuscript and print, public and private correspondence, and personal and professional commitments in the early nineteenth century.